


WHAT IT DO, BABY?

by jaemarked



Series: LOVE ON THE BATTLEFIELD [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Blood and Injury, Established Relationship, Fluff, Inspired by The Hunger Games, M/M, Minor Character Death, Murder, Violence, jaemin isn't dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:27:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27408070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaemarked/pseuds/jaemarked
Summary: In this Game, numbers were everything. Ranking, kills — all of it mattered.“How very Type of you,” Jaemin murmured, and it sounded like a compliment.“I’m not Type,” Renjun snorted. “I wasn’t made for this.”
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Na Jaemin
Series: LOVE ON THE BATTLEFIELD [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2048171
Comments: 14
Kudos: 171





	WHAT IT DO, BABY?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [princepixel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/princepixel/gifts).



> wow! this fic makes no sense whatsoever because i did not give context. so enjoy 5k of unhinged renmin being oddly tender with each other and if you have any questions about the worldbuilding, feel free to drop them in the comments.
> 
> this fic is for pix and was about 4k longer than i expected it to be but i hope you like it. i have many thoughts of jaemin and the way he just Tenderly Holds renjun. 
> 
> disclaimer; i don't condone murder or violence. this is very fictional.
> 
> before you start READ THE TAGS AND HEED THE WARNINGS thank you.

You could never tell just by looking at Jaemin that he was a genetically-modified killing machine.

But in order to maintain his ranking as Two, Jaemin fought with power, agility, and a special type of bloodlust only found in Capitol-bred Types. Right now, Jaemin was the only Type still alive, and Renjun suspected that the Capitol intended for it to be that way. They probably wanted Jaemin to be One, but he wasn’t.

Renjun was.

The Game was simple. One hundred players, one arena. Some were trained killers, some were criminals, and some were just people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. All in the name of entertainment. But there were rules. You couldn’t challenge anyone who ranked more than one level higher than you, and you couldn’t kill at night.

He wondered how it was entertaining, when some nights passed without a single kill, but he supposed the ever-changing arena made it interesting. There was also the drama, the romance, and of course, the savagery of it all, that made it intriguing to the people of the Capitol. He didn’t really care.

The first day, the players were ranked by chance, and he just so happened to be ranked One. Jaemin had been Five at the time, but Two, Three, and Four had been eliminated, and Jaemin quickly became the new Two. 

And Jaemin would never challenge Renjun, so Renjun would remain One, and Jaemin would remain Two. That is, if he chose not to challenge anyone. But Jaemin was born and raised to kill, so more often than not, he would disappear during the day to fight, and come back with his knives dripping ruby, covered in mud but not a single scratch on him. 

Renjun sat on the crumbling balcony of the apartment building he and Jaemin had taken over, watching as Jaemin chased a boy down the street like a game of cat and mouse. At the beginning of the Game, many had approached Jaemin in hopes of forming an Alliance. Everyone wanted to be friends with a Type, and Jaemin was the best of the best. But Jaemin hadn’t been interested in becoming allies with anyone except Renjun, who had barely glanced in his direction when he approached.

Not much had changed since then. Jaemin was still a Type—a Capitol monster, the others called him. Renjun was still the only member of Jaemin’s Alliance, and no one could ever touch him because he was One, and Jaemin was Two.

Renjun got up before Jaemin made the kill, wandering inside. Jaemin loved the thrill of the chase, and unfortunately for his opponent, he had the stamina of a bull. Renjun didn’t really care for the Game, but fortunately for him, the Capitol was too invested in his romance with Jaemin to kill him off. They were the fan favorites, and Renjun took full advantage of it. 

He and Jaemin might be puppets on strings, but Renjun was the one holding Jaemin’s leash, and the Capitol knew that. 

Renjun laid back on the couch, but the sound of the door clicking open had him rolling onto his stomach to look at Jaemin, dressed in all black and grinning maniacally. There was a small streak of blood across his cheek, and his eyes were wild, but otherwise he appeared unharmed.

“It’s going to rain tonight,” Renjun murmured softly. Acid rain started at midnight every Friday night, burning away anyone who dared to venture outside. It was always a different threat every night, measures put in place to prevent murder from midnight to morning. It was kind of cruel, in a way, to give everyone a false sense of security, only for many of them to die in the morning. 

Jaemin’s personal favorite was when they released the panthers. They weren’t real; made of metal and steel, a product of the Capitol, but Jaemin hunted them down in the middle of the night as a means to hone his skills. Renjun thought he just wanted to show off — so far, no one else had been able to kill one.

“I love the rain,” Jaemin said with a grin, all glittering eyes and sharp teeth. 

“Well, the rain kills ordinary people like me, so how about we stay inside tonight?” Renjun said, and Jaemin’s eyes flashed.

“Renjun, you are anything but normal,” Jaemin purred, but he shut the door behind him and began stripping off his outerwear. Renjun watched as he removed the belt of throwing knives from around his waist, the dagger strapped to his thigh, and one from each boot before he kicked them off, dumping the knives unceremoniously on the table. 

A perk to being One was that Renjun got a fully furnished apartment inside the Arena, stocked with food and medical supplies. The higher the ranking, the more sponsors. The more sponsors, the more resources. And although Jaemin had more sponsors, it was Renjun’s name on the door and Renjun’s voice that activated the security system.

He wondered if he would receive these perks if it wasn’t for Jaemin, but then he decided he didn’t care. If sleeping with the Capitol’s favorite made him invincible, he’d take it. 

And anyway, it wasn’t like it was a chore.

“Come here,” Renjun sighed once Jaemin had finished unloading all his weapons, opening his arms invitingly. Jaemin immediately ran forward, flopping down half on top of Renjun and giggling when he let out an _oof._

That was the thing about Jaemin. He was softest around Renjun to the point where you wouldn’t believe that he had eleven kills to his name. When Renjun looked at him, he saw faded pink hair, a bright and tender smile, and big brown eyes that looked at him adoringly. But if he looked a little closer, he saw the predatory glint in Jaemin’s eyes, the way his teeth and nails were too sharp, and how he was just a little too perfect to be real. 

“Did you have fun?” Renjun stuck his thumb in his mouth and used it to wipe away the streak of blood on Jaemin’s face. He didn’t miss the way Jaemin’s lips curled up in a wicked grin, or how his eyes gleamed, which meant he got more than the one kill Renjun had partially witnessed.

“Loads,” Jaemin said happily, sitting up until he was straddling Renjun’s waist, though he was careful not to put any of his weight on Renjun’s body. He cupped his face so tenderly, that Renjun ignored the blood under his fingernails in favor of smiling up at Jaemin. “How was your day?”

“Same as always,” Renjun sighed. There wasn’t much to do around here. He wasn’t a big fan of hunting like Jaemin was, and the arena wasn’t really built for pleasure. 

“Wanna play with me tomorrow?” Jaemin offered, and Renjun shook his head, curling one hand around Jaemin’s wrist. Jaemin smiled at him, deceptively gentle. He was always so tender with Renjun. “Can I kiss you?”

He always asked. Renjun always said yes.

Jaemin propped himself up so he was holding a plank position over Renjun’s body, framing his head with his arms, and then he carefully lowered himself so he could slot their lips together, soft and so achingly sweet. Despite the difficult position, he didn’t tremble, holding his body weight up so he didn’t crush Renjun beneath him.

Today, it was different. Today, Renjun wanted to be crushed and devoured, so he wrapped his arms around Jaemin’s neck and yanked him down, deepening the kiss. He felt Jaemin smile against his lips and he brought one hand up to cup his cheek. 

Maybe Jaemin was a monster, but what did that make Renjun if he loved him so?

“You’re so beautiful,” Jaemin said, propping himself up on his hands again. He said it often enough that it didn’t fluster Renjun as much as it used to. He ran a hand down his arm, his fingers barely making a dent in Jaemin’s flesh. Jaemin was a lot more dense than most people, with a body similar to steel. “It’s hard to believe you’re real.”

“I’m real,” Renjun assured him breathlessly, leaning up for another kiss. “You’re the one who’s too good to be true.”

“I’m real too,” Jaemin said with a grin, “though I’m not very good.”

“You’re good to me,” Renjun replied, and Jaemin’s eyes darkened as he slid a hand up Renjun’s shirt, his touch scorching. 

“I will _always_ be good to you,” Jaemin practically purred, but before they could take things any further, they were interrupted by a loud siren, blaring through the Arena. The lights of Renjun’s apartment turned red, and the television flickered on unprompted.

“Greetings, players.” Renjun sat up when Jaemin got off of him, staring at the Game Master on the screen with distaste. “Our numbers have dwindled to all but thirty, and so we’ve decided to play a little game! Think of it as a bonus round.”

Renjun barely managed to temper his sigh, but Jaemin was leaning forward eagerly, his interest piqued. The only thing Jaemin lusted after more than Renjun was blood.

“There are six red flags hidden around the Arena. The first Alliance who can find and secure all six will be granted relief from the Game. Players, you have until seven in the morning to find them. Other than that, there are no rules.”

“Let’s do it,” Jaemin said gleefully.

“What about the rain?” Renjun protested.

“It won’t burn me,” Jaemin replied dismissively. 

“But it will burn _me,_ ” Renjun insisted, just as the Game Master spoke again.

“Of course, there can’t be a rainbow without a little rain, am I right? Not only will acid be falling from the sky, but our little pet panthers will be roaming around the streets. Oh, but don’t worry! It is possible to survive both. There are switches located all over the Arena that will turn off the rain, and the panthers can be killed by severing the main wire in their necks.”

“We can do this,” Jaemin said, already getting dressed. “We can be free, Renjun.”

 _But will they really let us go?_ Renjun wanted to ask. Jaemin was the Capitol’s darling, after all. He could probably win the Game solely by fighting to the death. If he wanted, he could form an Alliance with the other strongest players and kill off the rest, and the Capitol would certainly enjoy that.

There had to be some kind of catch. 

But Jaemin was looking at him with pleading eyes, and they should not be so effective when he was holding an arsenal of knives, but Renjun had always been weak for him, so he agreed and changed into his tactical gear. Renjun’s weapons of choice were poison and paralysis darts, throwing knives, and brass knuckles. 

“Wait.” Jaemin grabbed him by the waist, halting him from opening the door. “Use these.”

He grabbed a bow and a quiver of arrows, pushing them into Renjun’s hands. 

“I’m not that good with them, though,” Renjun replied, eyebrows furrowed. 

“Just trust me.” And Jaemin flashed that achingly beautiful smile, so Renjun nodded, slinging the quiver onto his back. He ended up wearing a helmet, goggles, gloves, and a mask to protect himself from the acid rain until they could find a switch. Jaemin on the other hand kept his face and arms bare, waiting impatiently as Renjun laced up his boots and flinging the door open as soon as he was finished. 

“There are no rules, so anyone can challenge us. Be careful,” Renjun warned, though he could tell by the way Jaemin was moving that it was fruitless. While he would prefer to stealthily navigate the Arena, Jaemin was clearly planning to recklessly charge right in, unafraid of dying. 

“My theory is that the switches are located in central places. The closest to us is the plaza,” Jaemin said, shutting the door behind them. Renjun winced — the plaza was sure to have a lot of foot traffic. Who knew how many players they would encounter there. 

Renjun was about to start down the stairs when Jaemin grabbed him again, yanking him in. Renjun stumbled, but Jaemin caught him before he could fall, yanking his mask down and pulling him in for a searing kiss.

“Be careful, Injunnie,” Jaemin murmured, and Renjun nodded, slipping his mask back on. 

“I will.” 

They started down the stairs, unwilling to put themselves at risk by taking the elevator. If none of the rules applied, it meant there was nothing deterring players from entering and trapping them in there. Or worse.

Renjun wasn’t sure what he was expecting when they exited the building, but it wasn’t complete silence. The streets were dark and empty, and the night was still, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. 

“There’s about ten minutes until the rain will start to fall,” Jaemin muttered. “Let’s cover as much ground as we can before then.”

“Right,” Renjun agreed, and they broke out into a sprint. Jaemin was obviously holding back, keeping pace with Renjun instead of running ahead. 

Before the Game, Renjun was a cross-country runner, and the plaza wasn’t far. Still, running at breakneck speed for such a long interval of time made him breathless, and he was almost relieved when two players jumped out from behind one of the buildings, wielding knives and spears.

“Well, look who it is.” The girl with the knives sneered. “If it ain’t Two and his little bitch.”

“Watch your fucking mouth,” Jaemin snarled, and Renjun almost jumped. It wasn’t like Jaemin to anger so easily. In fact, he almost never took taunts seriously. 

“Surprised to see you out here, One,” the guy said, and Renjun paused, taking him in. He had no idea who either of them were, but they knew who he was. “Usually, you’re hiding away like a—“

Renjun didn’t see Jaemin move, but suddenly there was a knife buried in the boy’s throat, a sickening gurgle exiting his mouth. Before Renjun could blink, Jaemin was on the girl, throwing her to the ground. She got up almost immediately, but Renjun delivered a blow to the back of her head, effectively disarming her. 

Above them, thunder rumbled, the artificial storm clouds rolling in at an alarming rate.

“Oh, darling,” Jaemin said as Renjun used needles to paralyze her, “you shouldn’t have stopped us before we could switch off the rain.”

They ran to the plaza just as the rain began to fall, and the air filled with the girl’s anguished screams as the acid burned her. Renjun’s clothes began to sizzle, and they tore across the plaza. Jaemin leapt into the fountain and slammed his hand on a button that Renjun didn’t even notice, but the rain thankfully stopped as if it had never existed in the first place.

Renjun immediately took off his helmet and goggles, dropping them to the ground.

“You should keep them on.”

“No way,” Renjun said, shaking his head. “They just slow me down. Besides, you’ll protect me, won’t you?”

Jaemin grinned. “Something tells me you don’t need my protection.”

And maybe that was why Jaemin loved him back. Because Renjun was strong enough to stand beside him. He trusted Renjun to have his back. He squared his shoulders resolutely and pointed to the clock tower, the tallest building in the city. “I have a feeling we might find a flag up there.”

“We could just wait for everyone else to find them and then kill them all,” Jaemin suggested as they started back the way they came.

“Aw come on, Jaemin, that’s no fun,” Renjun teased.

“You’re right,” Jaemin agreed, a wicked glint in his eyes. “That would be too easy.”

Renjun found the girl from earlier, completely motionless. The acid rain had burned her face until it was completely disfigured, and he had no idea if she was still alive. He knelt down and jabbed a poison dart into her neck. 

“Didn’t think you’d be one for mercy kills,” Jaemin said lightly. 

Renjun shrugged. “I just don’t want anyone else to steal my kill.”

In this Game, numbers were everything. Ranking, kills — all of it mattered. 

“How very Type of you,” Jaemin murmured, and it sounded like a compliment.

“I’m not Type,” Renjun snorted. “I wasn’t made for this.”

“No? And yet you’re doing _so_ well.” And despite the fact that they were in the middle of a battlefield, playing the deadliest game of all, Jaemin pushed him up against the wall and kissed him. He really didn’t fear anything.

“Jaemin, we should really go,” Renjun said when they broke apart, but acquiesced when Jaemin whined a little, hauling him back in and biting playfully at his lower lip. 

“Okay, _now_ we can go,” Jaemin said breathlessly, cheeks flushed in a way that made him look sweet. 

“Cute,” Renjun teased, pinching Jaemin’s cheek. Jaemin tried to bite his fingers, then took his hand and dragged him down the street. 

Renjun was beginning to wonder why they hadn’t encountered anyone when he heard an ear-splitting shrieked. He almost halted, but Jaemin’s forceful hand on his back had him scaling the closest building, using the pipe and window ledges to pull himself up, Jaemin hot on his heels.

They scrambled over to the edge of the roof, ducking down low behind a partition to survey the ground below them. There were three guys surrounded by nine other players. Renjun guessed they were witnessing two Alliances battle it out. He was about to suggest letting them kill each other off and take out the rest when he got a closer look at the two kids cowering behind the other guy and gasped.

It hadn’t been that long ago. The beginning of the Game, when they had first woken up in the Arena. Renjun had been desperately searching for a weapon, and he’d entered the back room of a store only to be met with two kids, already armed. They could have killed him right then and there, but they had just left after taking what they needed. And now they were about to be killed.

“No,” Renjun whispered, taking out his bow and an arrow just as the nine players began advancing. 

“Renjun, what are you _doing?”_ Jaemin hissed, just as a player slashed at one of the kids.

“No!” The cry ripped from his throat just as he let the arrow fly, and it embedded in the back of the player’s skull. Renjun didn’t hesitate—he leapt down from the building, catching himself on an open window, then letting himself drop to the ground. Pain flared in his ankles, but he didn’t have time to think as a knife whizzed past his face, missing him by mere centimeters and slamming into the brick behind him.

Luckily, the guy defending the kids had chosen to take advantage of Renjun’s arrival to swing his axe into the chest of the closest opponent, bringing the number down to seven.

Two more were taken out by Jaemin’s knives, his deadly accuracy ringing true as Renjun narrowly avoided a thrown spear. He picked it up and thrusted it into the body of another player, just as the three he had saved managed to bring down another two. 

Jaemin jumped down from the building, not bothering to shorten his fall or cushion his landing, and Renjun marveled at how he didn’t break a single bone as he sliced open another player’s neck.

Renjun was tackled by a hefty player, his back scraping painfully against the concrete as he brought up his bow just in time to block his foe’s attack. His arms trembled at the weight bearing down on him, a knife inches away from his throat, but he heard a sickening snap just as a spray of blood splattered all over him, and the player’s body slumped to the side as Jaemin pulled a dagger out of his back.

“Are you alright?” Jaemin asked, and Renjun nodded, jumping to his feet. When he looked around, he spotted nothing but bodies surrounded the three players they had saved.

He took off his mask, letting the bloodstained fabric fall to the ground, and he immediately heard a gasp.

“It’s you!” One of the kids said, and he was immediately hushed by the axe-wielded, presumably the leader of their Alliance.

“What do you want from us?” He demanded, and Renjun would have believed that he wasn’t scared if he couldn’t see the way his axe trembled.

“You know,” Jaemin drawled, approaching them like a wildcat stalking its prey, “we did just save your lives. The least you could do is say thank you.”

“I’m not saying shit,” the leader spat.

“Mark…” one of the kids protested. 

Renjun sighed. “Look, if we wanted to kill you, we would have already. So you can cut the bullshit unless you really want to fight.” He lifted his arm to show off the senbon launcher mounted on his wrist, filled with poisonous needles. “Just know that you don’t stand a chance, so you might as well surrender now.” 

The leader—Mark, presumably—glared warily, but eventually lowered his weapon and motioned for the kids to do the same.

“Great,” Jaemin said cheerfully. “Now, what the hell are you doing out here?”

Mark snorted, raising his eyebrows. “The same reason you’re out here. Trying to leave this stupid Game.”

“And you decided the best way was to participate in a no-rules battle royale?” 

“Jisung and Chenle are _sixteen,_ ” Mark hissed, “and Alliances are forming every single day. You really think the three of us could win this? Finding the flags is our only chance.”

“You can join us,” Renjun blurted out, ignoring Jaemin’s sharp look. _Sixteen years old_. They should be in school, not fighting for their lives in a sick, twisted form of entertainment for the Capitol. “I’m One, and Jaemin’s Two.”

“No way,” the taller kid gasped. “ _You’re_ One?!”

“Hey,” Renjun grumbled. “No need to sound so shocked.” 

“Are you Type?” Mark asked curiously, and Renjun shook his head.

“No, but Jaemin is,” Renjun said, gesturing to Jaemin who was raiding the bodies of the players they had killed. “He’s the only Type left.”

“Hey, look. They had three flags,” Jaemin interrupted, holding up the fabric he had discovered. He didn’t seem to care that the flags were staining his hands with blood. 

“Three more to go,” Renjun said, turning back to the other three and holding out his hand. “So, what do you say? Wanna form an Alliance?”

“Alright, you have a deal,” Mark said, shaking his hand. “I’m Mark, and the tallest one is Jisung.”

“I’m Chenle!” Renjun shook the hand of the blond kid and then Jisung’s. Jaemin didn’t even bother giving them all another glance, and Renjun had to suppress a smile. Typical Jaemin.

“We’re heading to the clock tower, we think there’s another flag up there.”

“Highest point in the city. Makes sense,” Mark said with a nod. They started down the street with Jaemin taking the lead, Jisung and Chenle in the middle, and Mark and Renjun taking up the rear. “I have an idea of where the other two might be. I think one is underground, and the other is probably in the park at the heart of the city.”

“Underground?”

“There’s a series of tunnels underneath the city,” Mark explained, and when Renjun shot him a questioning look, he grinned. “How do you think we survived for so long?”

“Shh,” Jaemin said from the front, and for a moment Renjun thought he was just annoyed, but when he looked over, Jaemin had his knives out.

A short snarling sound was the only warning sound they got before one of the Capitol’s panthers leaped from the shadows, taking Jaemin down. 

Before any of them could move, Jaemin kicked into its stomach with both feet, using the momentum to get back up as the panther went flying, crashing into a streetlight. The robotic animal shook itself off as if nothing had happened, but when it charged again, Mark was ready with his axe and lopped its head off in one smooth swing. The metal screeched against the concrete and the body fell limp, wires still sparking.

“I fucking hate these things,” Mark complained as they continued on their way. They ended up switching around, and now Mark was taking the lead while Renjun and Jaemin followed behind the group. 

“I _love_ them,” Jaemin whispered, baring his teeth. “They’re fun to play with.”

“I thought you like playing with humans,” Renjun whispered back.

“I do.” Jaemin’s grin grew impossibly wider. “The panthers aren’t scared of me. Humans are.”

You’d have to be stupid not to be afraid of Jaemin. 

They made it to the clock tower without incident, and frankly, Renjun was growing suspicious. He hadn’t detected any more panthers, and they hadn’t run into any other players. Besides their Alliance, how many were still alive? He had a feeling there was some kind of trick, and he told Jaemin as such.

“Hmm,” Jaemin said, bringing the group to a halt. “I think we should split up. Mark, take the kids inside and use the stairs, _not_ the elevator. Renjun and I are going to scale the outside.”

“We are?” Renjun stared up at the tower. It was twice as high as any building he ever scaled before, and he imagined it wouldn’t be easy considering how new it was in comparison to the rest of the city. 

“You’ll be on my back,” Jaemin explained. “We’ll get there much faster. I have a feeling that something’s going to be waiting for us up there. It’ll be easier if we split up.”

“Okay,” Renjun agreed, because what else was he supposed to do? He’d follow Jaemin anywhere.

“Don’t die,” were the only encouraging words that Mark had to say before he pushed open the doors to the tower and guided Chenle and Jisung inside. Jaemin didn’t hesitate to crouch down, and Renjun climbed onto his back, trying to hold onto him in a way that wouldn’t restrict his movements. Jaemin straightened effortlessly, and he didn’t even seem to feel the extra weight as he approached the base of the tower and began climbing.

It was easier for him than Renjun thought it would be. He found thin ledges with ease, pushing himself up and grabbing the next without hesitating. At one point, Renjun made the mistake of looking down, and paled when he realized how high they had gotten. He wasn’t one to fear heights, but they were well above the rest of the city now. He tucked his face into Jaemin’s back and waited. 

At the top of the tower, just above the clock, Jaemin jumped over the ledge on the roof and Renjun descended from his back, immediately pulling out his longest dagger, quickly scanning the roof. There was nothing. The air was still around them, his pounding heart the only disturbance.

“Let’s go inside,” Jaemin said, pointing to the trap door set in the roof. It was locked from the inside, but Jaemin just ripped the door off its hinges and tossed it aside. Renjun winced at the clattering noise and waited for Jaemin to drop down first. “It’s clear.”

Renjun looked around nervously before lowering himself feet first, hanging onto the edge of the opening and dangling down, letting go and dropping to the ground once he was confident he wouldn’t land on anything. The room was empty save for the glass doors that presumably led to the stairs, but the second his feet touched the floor, the lights turned red.

“Welcome to the Neo Zone,” a voice said, and Renjun whipped around. He couldn’t see any speakers on the wall, meaning it was coming from a Moderator. He clenched his dagger tightly, readying himself for whatever the Game was planning to throw at him. “Two players enter, but only one can leave. You have fifteen minutes.”

Renjun’s head shot up in alarm, and he saw Mark, Chenle, and Jisung outside the glass doors. It looked like they were shouting, but Renjun couldn’t hear anything. Mark was prying at the doors, but they were locked. Renjun watched as he started pounding on the glass, then switching to his axe, but it didn’t leave a scratch.

“Wait,” Renjun said, his heart racing. “Wait, I have to _fight_ you? But we’re… we’re an Alliance, so why—”

“Renjun.’

He turned around to see Jaemin wielding a knife in each hand, crouched low like a tiger stalking its prey. Renjun took a step back, and then another until his back was touching the wall. 

“Jaemin, don’t,” he begged, holding his dagger in front of him. He was trembling wildly, his palms slick with sweat as Jaemin approached him slowly, gaze flicking back and forth. Outside the doors, Mark and Chenle were screaming, and Jisung was watching, frozen with shock. “Please.”

“It’s you or me,” Jaemin said plainly, then pounced. Renjun’s dagger clattered to the floor as they crashed down, and though he was sure he could probably stand a fighting chance, he couldn’t do it.

“Jaemin,” he said weakly in one last ditch attempt. Jaemin raised a knife over his head, and Renjun shut his eyes just as he brought it down. The knife slammed into the ground an inch from his face, and when he opened his eyes, he saw that it had gone through the shoulder of his jacket, pinning him to the ground. 

Jaemin _never_ missed.

He panicked, but Jaemin used his other knife to pin Renjun’s other shoulder, then reached into Renjun’s jacket and pulled out one of his poison darts, pinching it between two fingers. Renjun struggled to get up, but Jaemin just held him down with his other hand.

“Don’t do it,” Renjun begged. From the corner of his eye, he could see Mark desperately smashing his axe into the door, over and over again. A web of cracks was starting to appear, but Jaemin had clearly already made his mind up.

Tears welled up in Renjun’s eyes, and Jaemin smiled at him so softly, Renjun could believe he was human.

“I love you,” Jaemin said, then plunged the dart into his neck. Renjun screamed when Jaemin’s eyes fluttered shut, his body going limp and slumping to the floor. Seconds later, the doors shattered, but pure adrenaline had Renjun ripping himself from the ground, his jacket torn to shreds by Jaemin’s knives.

“Jaemin!” Renjun scrambled to pull the dart from Jaemin’s neck, but he knew it was already too late. The poison had already entered his bloodstream, there was no hope. He screamed again, burying his face in Jaemin’s chest. He felt a hand on his shoulder, but he ignored it. His body heaved with stuttered sobs, and he allowed himself a moment longer to cry before he stood up shakily, his knees barely able to support his weight.

“Renjun,” he heard Mark call, but he ignored him, staggering to what was left of the door. Glass crunched under his boots, and he had to catch himself on the door when he tripped, slicing his palm open. He had spotted the switch earlier, the exact same one that Jaemin had used at the fountain. His blood smeared on the wall as he reached for it, and Renjun glanced back at Jaemin’s lifeless form for a split second before he turned it on.

“What is that?” Chenle asked quietly, sounding scared. Renjun smiled.

 _Good._ He should be.

“Rain,” he replied just as quietly. “No more rainbows.”

-

“Congratulations on your win.”

“Just let us the fuck out of here,” Renjun spat, cradling Jaemin’s body to his chest. The projection of the Game Master raised an eyebrow, but Renjun just glared challengingly--he had won, fair and square, so his Alliance was to be set free.

“You are free to go,” the Game Master said with a cordial smile. “But let me just ask, how did you know that the last players would be killed by the rain?”

“If they weren’t,” Renjun said, “I would have gone out there and killed them all myself.”

The Game Master looked pleased. “You’re a monster, Renjun. Jaemin would be proud.”

Renjun inhaled sharply, but the Game Master’s projection flickered and disappeared, so he stood up, lifting Jaemin into his arms. He was heavy, but Renjun’s body was burning with pure spite and anger. He looked at the others who stared back at him, wide-eyed and fearful.

“Let’s go,” he told them, and they nodded, following him out of the room and down the hall to the elevator next to the stairs. He carried Jaemin all the way to the bottom floor, out of the tower, and through the city. 

As they walked, they passed by the bodies of fallen players, those who had been killed by the acid rain. Renjun was surprised that every single player had tried to collect the flags. He supposed his Alliance wasn’t the only one desperate enough to risk their lives in a battle royale just to find some flags. Nobody wanted to play the rest of the Game. 

The streets were silent as they walked, and Renjun hoped the Capitol was watching. He hoped they were disappointed that the Game ended so quickly, that their darling was dead and Renjun was victorious. 

When they exited the gates of the Arena, they were met with a celebration, but Renjun ignored it all, and Mark, Chenle, and Jisung did the same. Slowly, the cheers of the crowd faded, and it was silent as Renjun made his way down the carpet they had laid out for the victors, as red as the blood that was still steadily dripping from his hand. 

They walked through the crowd with their heads held high, and Renjun did not hesitate or falter. He held Jaemin’s body close and kept going until they reached the end of the carpet where they were met with a podium and medals. Renjun ignored it all, walking past until he reached the Victors’ Manor.

He brushed off the servants that greeted him, snarling wordlessly when one came too close. Chenle, Mark, and Jisung followed silently behind him as a servant showed them to their suite. Renjun gingerly set Jaemin down on the bed, suddenly exhausted. His shoulders slumped as he dropped onto the mattress, reaching up to cup Jaemin’s face. His blood smeared on Jaemin’s cheek, and if he lifted his hand, there would be a perfect print left on the skin. 

“Jaemin, my darling. How long do you plan on playing dead?”

Jaemin’s eyelids fluttered open and a slow, beautiful smile spread on his face. “Why? You don’t enjoy carrying me like a groom and his bride crossing over the threshold?”

Renjun laughed, and when Jaemin opened his arms, he fell into them, connecting their lips in a desperate kiss. Finally, they were free.

Game over.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/jaemarking)  
> [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/jaemarked)


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